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PURC holds open day in Cape Coast

The Executive Secretary of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), Dr Ishmael Ackah, has stated the commitment of the Commission in providing the platform towards addressing the concerns of consumers and utility providers in the country.

He stated that, the Commission was investing in technology in order to verify the data that would be provided by utility providers for tariff review.

Dr Ackah was speaking at an open day and exhibition to mark second anniversary of the establishment of the PURC regional office in the Central Region.

The exhibition focused on programmes that had been undertaken in the region for the past two years.

Dr Ackah said, the PURC was determined to investigate the data that would be submitted by the utility companies to ensure that they do not pass cost or their inefficiencies to the consumers.

He indicated that, the Commission was working towards having a good power sector that balance the interest of consumers and the interest of utility companies.

The Director, Regional Operations of PURC, Alhaji  Jabaru Abukari  stated that this year was a crucial year for the Commission since it marks a major tarriff period for  both consumers and utility companies. 

“As a Commission, we always try our best to make sure that we balance the scale so that we do not have acrimony within the economy” he said.

He noted that, it was the determination of the Commission in ensuring that tarriff do not unduly over burden consumers.

For her part, the Central Regional Manager of the PURC, Miss Kessewaa Apenteng-Addo noted that the exhibition was to allow residents to have an insight into the activities of the Commission.

She said, the Commission during the past two years had carried out educational programmes in communities across the region.

She indicated that, the PURC was committed towards protecting the interest of both consumers and utility providers.

Giving statistics of cases resolved, she said, the office received 2,485 complaints  out of which 96.47 per cent of it were resolved.

Ms Apenteng-Addo explained that, 1,823 of the cases were against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) while that of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and consumers were 580 and 82 respectively.

The cases reported, she said, mostly centre on quality of service, metering, payment of bills and unlawful disconnection among others.

She said, over 11,445 consumers had been engaged by the Commission on various platforms as part of sensitisation efforts.

Ms Apenteng-Addo further said that, the intervention of the Commission had led to the replacement of transformers, faulty meters and damaged polls.

The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, in a speech read on her behalf, commended the PURC for instituting the platform to engage with consumers and utility companies with respect to the quality of  service and other issues.

She also commended them for resolving cases that were filed by both consumers and companies

The exhibition, when said, would enable the public to have an insight into the operations of the Commission.

She, however,  noted that, most people in the region were not aware of the  presence of the Commission in the region.

FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST

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